Chronicle Editor
On Tuesday, the Government announced the extension of Covid-19 vaccination to 12 to 15-year-olds.
Just a few days later, parents were being urged to get their children jabbed against the infectious disease that, by Sunday, had affected 235 975 people and resulted in 5 394 deaths since its outbreak in March 2020. The extension of the age group eligible for vaccination came some three months after the Government gave the greenlight for 16 to 17-year-olds to be vaccinated using the Sinovac vaccine.
The latest process which begins in earnest this week means that all pupils in secondary, and most in the most senior grade at primary school will now be covered as recommended by the Paediatric Association of Zimbabwe, the organisation that brings together all specialists on child health in the private and public sectors.
Ministry of Health and Child Care permanent secretary Air Commodore (Rtd) Jasper Chimedza wrote to all heads of central hospitals and provincial medical directors, saying health institutions under their leadership should, with immediate effect, start inoculating 12 to 15-year-olds not only with the Sinovac vaccine, but also with Sinopharm, the other Chinese-made vaccine that has been used since the national vaccination campaign started early last year.
“Based on the available scientific data provided by the manufacturers, the Medicine Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has the Emergency Use Authority (EUA) for the Covid-19 vaccination with Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines. In light of the above, Government has approved with recommendation from the specialist paediatricians, the vaccination of the 12 to 15 years age groups with immediate effect,” he said.
That the Government has further extended the age group eligible for vaccination is to be commended for a number of reasons.
Although children and younger adults tend to do well against Covid-19, there has been much concern over outbreaks in schools.
A number of them have been closed as a result, while others had to turn themselves into quarantine facilities when the term ended in December last year following local outbreaks. When the Government made the decision to extend jabs to 12 to 15 year old children last week, there were 156 positive cases in schools countrywide.
So pupils are at risk as well as the foregoing shows.
However, with the extension of vaccination to all of them at secondary school and the most senior ones at primary school, we expect a substantial decline in positive cases as well as in the severity of sickness. This will likely be the case since vaccines are known to offer protection against infection, at the same time reducing the virulence of the pathogen against which a vaccine was taken.
As more of the population, not just 18-year-olds and above as was the case when vaccination against Covid-19 started, is now eligible for vaccination, we think it would be easier and faster for the country to attain herd immunity.
Based on the estimate that there are now 17 million people in the country, at least 10,2 million people must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 for herd immunity to be achieved. About 3, 3 million had had both doses of vaccine by Sunday while 4,3 million had received their first one.
We are a long way to 10,2 million but with the blitz that has been planned for the next few weeks to get more people protected ahead of winter, coupled with the extension of vaccines to the 12 to 15-year age group, we see ourselves moving towards herd immunity faster.
We continue to urge our people to get the first two jabs, and for those who have had both, to proceed to get the third one. That way we can be assured that we are on our way to greater protection against Covid-19. Also, only then can life as we know it, return to normalcy.
However, as it relates to children, their parents have to consent to their kids being jabbed. Therefore, we challenge parents and guardians to ensure that they take their children to nearest vaccination centres so they get the injection.
In the meantime, we continue wearing face masks properly every time we are in a public space, we continue sanitising or washing our hands with soapy water and avoid crowds and unnecessary travelling.
Online Reporter